Tips for a greener autumn
August 31, 2009
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Melody Wren
SPECIAL TO YOURHOME.CA
Sure, the leaves will soon be changing colours, but you can still inject your autumn with a healthy dose of "green." Why not give these easy tips a try for an eco-friendly fall?
– After unloading your groceries or other goods from your cotton or canvas bags, return them immediately to your car or hang them on the inside of your front door to remind you to take them with you on your next shopping trip.
– Try using reusable mesh bags for fruit and veggies to reduce the need for filmy plastic bags in your grocer's produce section. Check out the made-in-Canada cotton mesh produce bags at www.credobags.com, for retailers, or www.hotsacks.ca.
– If you're buying new shoes, ask the store to keep the box and slip your new pair into your carry all. Many shoe stores have a policy of recycling their shoeboxes, with some going to schools for crafts.
– When you're heading out to meet a friend for a cup of coffee, take your favourite cup with you — you'll be able to skip the disposables, and it's much nicer to drink out of anyway.
– Picking up takeout? Try taking your own containers. It's much easier to reheat than aluminum or Styrofoam containers, and it reduces the amount of trash you have to carry to the curb.
– With the kids heading back to school, resist the urge to use plastic bags and plastic wrap for lunches. Check out the many other options available, such as reusable containers in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
– Instead of using note paper for messages and reminders, install a chalkboard in the kitchen to help keep the family informed.
– If it's time to spruce up the house, or indulge in some new dishes, glasses or cutlery, check out antique markets, flea markets, garage sales and charity shops, such as the Aberfoyle market (www.aberfoyle-antiques.com). Why buy reproduction retro when you can get a great deal on authentic 50s and 60s funky glasses, and enjoy the thrill of the hunt? And solid wood furniture, as opposed to cheaper wood or pressed fibreboard requiring assembly, will last longer and offer some timeless style to your space. Don't forget to bring a large bag to carry all your goodies, and make sure to barter — many vendors are negotiable.
– Think outside the store. Look to items you already have, like curtains you no longer use, to help out on those upholstery projects. Or scope out the offerings at second hand shops, where you can often find fabric or lace to make new tablecloths at a fraction of the price you'd pay for it new.
Melody Wren is a perennial writer, and in an effort to avoid being an environmental nuisance, she is recycling, reusing, repurposing, rediscovering, reupholstering and researching ways to live a greener life in a greener home.
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